“For the terrorists, there may be no reason for treating the Kenyan government as a regime that may change its attitude towards Al Qaida and for this reason, it may be time for Kenya to pay through a well coordinated terrorist attack. The terrorists may decide to strike before June when sources say that President Barack Obama may travel to Kenya on his way to South Africa to open the World Cup. The period between now and June is therefore critical” (KSB: January 27th 2010).
It may be a matter of time before a new terrorist bomb explodes in Kenya especially in the city of Nairobi because extremist Islamic fundamentalists now have enough reasons to attack Kenya once again. Since 1998, Kenya has had two serious terrorist attacks “to teach the country a lesson” and now, we may be on the verge of experiencing another attack unless something dramatic happens. Why?
The Abdulla al Faisal fiasco has left Kenya very vulnerable especially after the government used its security forces to attack Jamia Mosque (the symbol of Islam in Nairobi) during a demonstration by Muslim youths to protest against the arrest and harassment of Al Faisal who arrived in the country incognito and quickly took over the face of “Muslim persecution” in Kenya by the government. His presence in the country was like a “wake up call” to Muslims that the government of Kenya hates them.
Al Faisal had not committed any known crime in Kenya at the time of his arrest and attempted deportation, save for the existence of his name on the US list of terror suspects. The number of Muslims who attended the pro-Al Faisal demo indicates that the Islamic Cleric had support of ordinary Muslims across the country regardless of what their leaders were saying. For Al Qaida, it is unlikely that the mistreatment of Al-Faisal at the hands of the Kenyan authorities will go unpunished and this is one reason why Kenyans ought to be bracing themselves for a vicious attack. It will be a sign of weakness on the part of Al Qaida if it cannot respond and send a clear message to the Kenyan government through a huge explosion that will send Kenyans running helter-skelter in Nairobi or elsewhere in a moment of shock.
Traditionally, Islamic militants rightfully view the Kenyan government as a puppet regime which takes orders from both Washington and London. Following the bloody US war of aggression in Iraq, Kenyan Muslims suspected of having links with terrorists became victims of repeated renditions to Guantanamo and today, some Muslim victims have not been repatriated to Kenya. Al Qaida has never punished Kenya for the renditions. Although Al Faisal passed unscathed through other African countries like Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Angola, Al Qaida (and Muslims alike) may interpret his nabbing in Kenya as the product of American/British influence thus the need to teach the Kenyan government a lesson one more time. Al Qaida is not known to send delegations to State House but to attack with bombs.
Our country is the headquarters of CIA, M16 and Mossad operations in East and Central Africa while in North Eastern Province, both American and British troops have unlimited access to vast and cordoned-off military zones where US/British soldiers can train at will and on a routine basis as they rape Kenyan women. American war ships are known to dock at the Port of Mombasa so that their troops can relieve tension with Kenyan women at the Coast. According to Osama bin Laden, the 1998 August 7 terrorist bomb which destroyed US Embassy in Kenya and in which more than 200 Kenyans perished was a punishment by Al Qaida for Kenya’s link with the United States. Osama has just sent an audio message to Obama to expect continued Al Qaida attacks and targeting Kenya, an American ally and basically, a sitting duck, could be a good start.
The terrorist bombing of Paradise Hotel in Mombasa in 2002 by members of Al Qaida was to punish the country for its links with the Israelis and the choice of Paradise Hotel was not accidental because it was being owned by an Israeli. Since the Nairobi and Paradise Hotel bomb blasts, there has been no further and serious punishment of Kenya because Al Qaida may have thought that the Kenyan government had learnt good lessons. Unfortunately, the government has continued to act provocatively and in a way that suggests that it never got the message. This is another reason why a terrorist attack on Kenyan soil is inevitable.
During the Al Faisal demo in Nairobi, reports indicated that five Muslims were shot dead by police. According to a statement released through revolutionmuslim.com (which has posted the first interview with Al Faisal since his arrival in Jamaica) the prayer of Al Qaida is that Allah bestow upon the slain Kenyan Muslims the honor of martyrs. Be that as it may, Al Qaida will, most likely, want to revenge their deaths and there is no better way of doing so than exploding a huge car bomb at Nairobi’s Central Business District to kill as many Kenyans as possible or sending a suicide bomber to blast one of the five star hotels to kill “Kafirs”.
Kenya is at the mercy of the terrorists
The mass arrest of Muslims in Nairobi in the name of “flushing out terrorists” was obviously a provocation of Muslims and an open invitation of Al Qaida to attack Kenya. The government arrested people indiscriminately and without evidence that they were terrorists. Majority of them were of Somali origin, the home of Al Shabbab. To fuel the fire, Professor George Saitoti, the Minister of Internal Security, claimed at a News conference that members of Al Shabbab, a terrorist group staging an armed resistance in Somalia, had not just infiltrated the Nairobi demo but had traveled all the way from Somalia to organize it.
This claim may anger Al Shabbab members and since majority of those who were arrested were of Somali origin, Al Shabbab may actually find it necessary to set up a real base in Kenya to give the government a real experience of what it feels like to have them in town. In an audio message circulated in the Internet, Al Shabbab’s leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, also known as Sheik Mukhtar Abdirahman Abu Zubeyr, has promised that his forces will, this time, enter Kenya and cause trouble.
The situation is worsened by the fact that the US State Department and experts alike continue to theorize that Al Qaida is regrouping in both Yemen and the Horn of Africa. Under the circumstances, it may be smart for Al Qaida to begin setting up a new base in Kenya as US anti-terrorist work begins to focus on Yemen and the Horn of Africa. In the eyes of Al Qaida, the “ill treatment” of Muslims in Kenya is reason to prompt better ways of dealing with Kenya and a terrorist attack could be a better signal of things to come.
It is notable that last week, Mr. Leon Edward Panetta, the Head of the CIA, made a clandestine four day visit to Kenya to meet with both Prime Minister Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki. According to media sources, the CIA boss had carried a message to the effect that Al Qaida was regrouping at the Horn of Africa while he is reported to have made recommendations on what needs to be done to curb Al Qaida infiltration in Kenya.
“The CIA boss wanted to ask the country’s leadership to be tougher on terrorism and especially al-Qaeda, who America believes are rebuilding fast in the Horn of Africa”, the East African Standard wrote. It continued: “This follows reports that al Qaeda fighters have begun arriving in Somalia to carry out war against states seen by Islamists to be supported by the West”.
For the terrorists, there may be no reason for treating the Kenyan government as a regime that may change its attitude towards Al Qaida and for this reason, it may be time for Kenya to pay through a well coordinated terrorist attack. The terrorists may decide to strike before June when sources say that President Barack Obama may travel to Kenya on his way to South Africa to open the World Cup. The period between now and June is therefore critical. Attacking when Obama is in the country could be the best propaganda coup for Al Qaida.
Sadly, there is absolutely nothing the Kenyan government will do to stop Al Qaida attacks in Kenya because the government does not have both the intelligence and capacity to stop Al Qaida. The terrorist Movement has defeated attempts by governments like Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan and even the United States from stopping their activities and if truth were to be told, Kenya has absolutely no chance even if the United States decides to help. At a time when various commentators are decrying the porousness of our boarders, any sensible observer will agree that the Coalition government will be helpless when Al Qaida decides to strike and this is why Kenyans should brace for an attack sooner rather than later.
The government’s Security intelligence could not even sniff that Al Faisal (a person on US List of terror suspects and who was moving around with his legal Passport) had slipped into the country when security was asleep so how will the Kibaki/Raila government be able to tell that terrorists have sneaked in with a deadly bomb?
To be honest, we are at the mercy of the terrorists and the best the country can do is to wait for the time they will strike and then deal with the casualties. The best preparation the government can make now is to equip hospitals (especially in Nairobi) and prepare paramedics for an emergency occasioned by a huge bomb blast somewhere in the middle of Nairobi city, the seat of Kenya government. The time is ticking…
Okoth Osewe
About the Author
Typical that the Kenyan government remains weak and slow in keeping tabs on global anti-terrorist intelligence. The 40 million Kenya shillings that has been used to facilitate the deportation of the Jamaican cleric could have been used to install computers at all the border entry points in Kenya.
It is so stupid of the Immigration minister Kajwang’ to suspend two officers stationed at Lunga Lunga, which was the entry point used by Al Faisal from Tanzania.Remember the Artur brothers claimed to have come from Armenia? They did all manner of high crimes yet were still allowed to enter and leave the country. They were never arrested or deported though there was evidence of their involvement in the infamous East African Standard Newspaper publishing house.
I agree with Osewe that the poor handling of Al Faisal and the consequent fatal demonstrations, only make Kenya more vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
After witnessing cries, shouting, shooting and stone throwing of God fearing dressed youth,old men and women fresh from a mosque,I must admit we need to think and act fast.
First,the report by revolutionmuslim.com was very wrong. Police never shot and killed 3 muslims. It was one. Just one. My insistence of-just one-is coz. A `peaceful demostrator’ as we were meant to believe-shot a cop. Shockily,this was not the normal stone throwing versus tear-gas plays we are used to. It was a serious irrelevant and baseless protest. Annoyingly,most of the protesters dint have a vaguest idea who is Alfaisal. It was just an irrational notion of government is a muslim hater.
Secondly,cops didnt and arent intending to discriminate muslims by arresting them. Thats another wrong and misleading report. The cops only arrested illigal immigrants.
Sadly,the fact that Muslims protestors forgot their mission and stoned and detroyed properties and business,caused a non-muslim versus muslim fight. Which was an ugly ,bloody and a time waster,to a country so eager to stitch together ecomonic holes created by senseless post-election violence.
Actually,Alfaisal should thank the Kenyan government for all humane treatment he received,rather than plan an attack to our government. His people should know,if indeed keep up thier promise,they will most likely kill thier own people.They know really well,the monied law makers dudes with hanging tummies are never in common places. Neither their people. But just us. The `earthlings’ as Mutahi call them.
The question still on board is,why should a foreigner creat hatred and divide citizens?
Wrong information! the revolutionmuslim.com should do a research before giving baseless information. Who killed 3 muslims? The whole bloody demostration involved shooting from the demostrators and police. They shot a cop,and the copd fired back. The annoying part is ,most of these demostrators are in our country illigaly,yet they are so bold to throw stones at Kenyans. Doesnt that hurt? reason this fight was almost endless. The Kenyas youth,and I wish to be quick to say the idle ones,just like their muslims friends, litellary helped police,who were overwhelmed by the well equiped protestors,to fight back. It ended up looking like a christian versus muslim fight. Which was really sad. The biggest question which is not been addressed is,why should foreigners,be that rude and cruel to fight and destroy properties of the same people hosting them? Aren’t we been taken for granted here? Kenyans?
Al Amin Kimathi and Sheikh Dor recently announced an Islamic takeover of Kenya in 20 years.
Friday the 15th of January 2010: On this day there was daylong rioting by islamic extremists protesting the detention of suicide bomber trainer Sheikh Al Faisal from Jamaica. The first time in Kenyan history for protestors to carry guns and to shoot and seriously injure a GSU officer. Some even carried a flag belonging to Al Qaeda associate Al Shabab group from Somalia.
It is thus apparent that we are our worst enemies. Where is our president when all this is happening? Which Kenya did he swear to defend? The highest integrity should not be that of the director of KACC but the heads of Immigration department and registration of Persons, KRA, Police Commissioner etc.
Can the history and contacts of these leaders be thoroughly investigated? For example: Who is Al Amin Kimathi, Who is Sheikh Dor, Who is Abdullahi Abdi? Who are their parents? Who were their classmates?Has any one of them bought a Kenya ID and Passport?This is what will determine whether we will leave our children and our children’s children in the hands of Al shaabab or in a free democratic country.
Once a country’s economy is taken over by foreigners who will not even integrate, we will have two states within one. A kamba will marry a Luo, a kikuyu marry a taita, A Luhya marry a Kalenjin etc. We drink in the same bars, go to same schools and churches, etc. But what of these Somalis whom we have allowed to buy our capital city?
Reports that the insurgency in Somalia is financed by cheap, duty free sugar imported through Kismayu before finding its way through porous borders and corrupt and inept intelligence and security apparatus to Eastleigh and then to other parts of Kenya. Also included are clothes, elctronics, gun running, piracy, printing of fake currency poaching and other criminal activities.
Kenyan Reporters John Allan Namu and Mohamed Ali were threatened after they demonstrated how goods are brought to Eastleigh from The mombasa port and the Eldoret Airport by foreigners through corrupt networks. KRA is unable to detect this. Eastleigh is the only place in Nairobi where KRA staffs enforcing ETR registers have been chased.
Once the Alshabab is done with the TFG in their country, this is the second stop. Kenya is already under islamization through influx of Somalis (from Somalia ), buying of IDs and Passports, buying of land and control of economy through various criminal and illegal tactics. Who will save us? Kibaki? No way. Raila? No way. The citizenry will have to save itself.
Most Kenyans are really quite frustrated that nothing has changed [since the 2007 elections]; the government is still engaging in the same repressive action, the security machinery is unchanged, and people are fundamentally worse off financially.
The government is using [Kenyan] frustration to possibly take advantage, to cultivate resentment against the Somali population that is perceived as doing well, to deflect responsibility for their failures to really change the status quo.
That open hostility manifests itself both overtly, in police harassment, and covertly, in the disregard for maintaining public infrastructure and utilities in the predominantly Somali neighbourhood of Eastleigh in eastern Nairobi.
It is a fact that Eastleigh has become a huge business conglomerate, with Kenyan Somalis being the majority owners of the buildings in the area. This has prompted jealousy and business rivalry from non-Somali business operators and they would like nothing else than to see the Somalis’ expansion curtailed.
Xenophobic acts targeting the Somali community are being fuelled by the State through raids in Eastleigh claiming there are Islamic extremists there. The non-Muslim communities are therefore resenting and condemning all the Somalis, which is totally unfair.
For brothers,
What ever all that has happened.We should not loose site of our backgrounds.Then we can decide as a collective unit to become one.All we are doing now is not,in my opinion ,being truthfull about the situation on the gound.What has happened and still unfolding.In the best interest of our people.Let us seek guidance from amomgst us to discern which path to take.I always say ,never aportion blame ,or insinuate what you cannot ,and have no proof to back up in public.Thank you.
KSB: Wuod Luo, through a dialectic analysis of events, it is possible to develop a likely perspective in a scenario where certain objective factors are constant. In such situations, it is possible to “aportion blame” or “insinuate” without tangible proof. This observation does not negate your sapient approach to the matter at hand.
KENYA ON HIGH ALERT FOR OSAMA REPRISALS .
Tuesday, 03 May 2011 00:01 BY MAXWELL MASAVA
SECURITY has been tightened across Kenya following yesterday’s killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. People returning to work this morning will be screened as they enter many government buildings and private offices. Normally lax security measures—largely ignored are expected to be enhanced and more stringent.
Private security firms had by early yesterday already instructed their guards to conduct stringent searches of vehicles entering premises as well as ensuring that those entering the buildings were screened.
The Anti Terrorism Police Unit boss Nicholas Kamwende appealed to Kenyans to be on high alert and report any suspicious characters in their midst. He said the unit was also on heightened alert in case of retaliatory attacks following bin Laden’s death. “What happened in Pakistan is totally related to Kenya and East Africa. The threat of terrorism is real and everyone has to be on the look-out even as police do their work,” Kamwende told the Star yesterday.
He said that even as Kenyans celebrated the killing of the world’s most wanted terrorist, Kenyans should bear in mind that remnants of the Al Qaeda leadership remained active. He said al-Qaeda still had the ability to launch attacks and some members may be motivated by revenge. “The reality is still here with us. Fazul, the al-Qaeda operative, believed to be holed up in Somalia and wanted for masterminding the 1998 embassy bombing, is still out there. We have to keep up the war,” said Kamwende.
Police spokesman Erick Kiraithe confirmed that armed police patrols had been increased in the city center. “We have also put adequate measures in place and we don’t expect any surprises. We call on all citizens to be cautious and alert the authorities if they come across any suspicious individuals or groups,” said Kiraithe.
Security around Nairobi was tightened yesterday with armed GSU patrolling the city streets. Vehicles and individuals accessing key installations and prominent office buildings across Nairobi were thoroughly checked by security officers.
Security analyst Werunga Simiyu said Kenya was even more vulnerable than Pakistan and Afghanistan where terror activities are daily occurrences. “Security in East Africa and especially in Kenya has to be stepped up in the wake of all this (Bin Laden’s death),” said Werunga
Kenya and the East African region have become a target of terror attacks, particularly from the Al-Shabaab militia in Somalia that is linked to al-Qaeda.
Before the Easter holiday, the police issued a terror alert warning warning that shopping malls, churches, government buildings and recreational areas in major population centres could be targeted.
In the alert, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere warned that all-Shabaab had threatened to carry out violent attacks during the Easter holiday. “As part of community policing, we are advising the management of all the places mentioned and other places where a large number of public is admitted to enhance to enhance their security measures during this period,” he said. The enhanced security measures are expected to continue following bin Laden’s death.